A method and apparatus for manufacturing a solar module strand comprising flexible solar cells, in particular, flexible solar cells based on thin-film technologies (2nd generation of solar technologies) or organic solar technologies (so-called 3rd generation) is described herein, as well as a solar module strand manufactured using such an apparatus/according to such a method. The approach described herein, the corresponding apparatus for manufacturing a solar module strand and the resulting product, i.e. the solar module, can also be realized with rigid solar cells (for example, silicon solar cells) instead of the flexible solar cells explained in detail herein.
Solar or photovoltaic modules (also of the kind described herein) directly convert incident sunlight into electrical energy. As the most important components, a solar module comprises a plurality of solar cells. Each one of the solar cells comprises a rear side facing away from a light energy source in operation and a front side facing the light energy source in operation. The solar module is characterized, from an electrical point of view, by its electrical connection values (in particular, open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current) and, from a mechanical point of view, by its dimensions (especially length and width). The electrical connection values and the dimensions are dependent on the properties of the individual solar cells and the type and quality of the interconnection of the solar cells within the solar module.
In a solar module, also of the kind described herein, the solar cells electrically interconnected to each other are usually accommodated between a transparent front-side layer and a rear-side construction. The front-side layer and the rear-side construction have barrier properties and serve the purpose of protection from mechanical and climatic influences, e.g. also from moisture and oxygen. Furthermore, they serve as a mechanical protection during assembly of the solar modules and as an electrical insulation. The rear-side construction can be made of glass or a flexible composite film.
Inter alia for reasons of efficient assembly and low-maintenance operation, solar modules comprising solar cell strings or solar cell strips, which are usually fully electrically interconnected arrangements of a plurality of solar cells, with very large mechanical dimensions (length, width) and high electrical connection values are aimed at. Here, a great number of solar cells are interconnected in series or in parallel to form a solar cell strip/solar cell string. However, handling of the solar cell strips during manufacture of a solar module/solar module strand having very large dimensions is difficult. In particular, reversing and (fully) interconnecting, if applicable, long solar cell strings of several meters in length or in form of continuous material is not possible when using conventional manufacturing technology. Currently available manufacturing systems usually employ placement robots and permit limited dimensions within a range of up to approx. 2-3 meters maximum edge length of the solar modules and their solar cell strips.